HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Medical Center is honored to be named a 2026 Maternity Care Access Hospital by U.S. News & World Report.

It’s the third time in three years the hospital has received the designation that recognizes hospitals offering essential maternity services to underserved communities.

The Maternity Care Access Hospital designation recognizes essential hospitals serving communities that would otherwise be in danger of becoming maternity care deserts if they were to stop providing crucial maternity care services.

“Meritus is ‘community obsessed,’ and with that means providing expert care close to home for our patients,” said Carrie Adams, Pharm.D., Meritus chief operating officer. “Our Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum (LDRP) unit is filled with skilled team members who are committed to our patients, and this designation is a reminder of how important their job is.”

U.S. News evaluated approximately 900 hospitals nationwide for the 2026 ratings, and just 147 hospitals — or 16% of all evaluated hospitals — have been designated as Maternity Care Access Hospitals. Hospitals were evaluated based on detailed data submitted to U.S. News via the annual Maternity Services Survey.

“The Maternity Care Access Hospital designation is a crucial acknowledgement of hospitals that deliver high-quality maternity care in underserved areas,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “These 147 hospitals are essential — they meet U.S. News’ strict quality measures for safety and outcomes while simultaneously ensuring that geographical isolation does not prevent families from receiving the care they need.” 

The designation is part of U.S. News' Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings. These ratings are intended to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care providers, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.

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Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has more than 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.